Part of the land leased for the heritage listed Chinese market gardens in West Botany Street, Arncliffe, will be taken for the new private golf course under plans for the Cooks Cove development.
The developer said the land was uncultivated and “the majority” would become new salt marsh.
But, the National Trust of Australia (NSW) said the move would “clearly be an adverse impact upon the history, operation and viability of the market gardens”.
Market gardens have occupied the area since the mid 19th century.
The state government owns the land and leases it to operators of the market gardens.
Under the plans, a strip of land that runs the full length of the gardens on the eastern side, would be excised.
It would clearly be an adverse impact upon the history, operation and viability of the market gardens.
- National Trust of Australia (NSW) submission
The National Trust of Australia (NSW) said in a submission on the development application the relocation of the golf course to occupy current open space “represents an alienation of public reserves to private interests and a net loss to the community”.
“If a private development had been proposed to directly take over Barton Park, Riverine Park and Banksia Field, with no obvious public open space return, then that development would have been rejected out of hand.”
The submission said the success of the proposal appeared to rely upon excising part of market gardens land.
No justification had been provided for giving an area of the government-owned, heritage listed land to ensure the success of a private commercial operation, it said.
The trust said the lessees of the land were totally opposed to the plan.
Cook Cove Inlet Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of John Boyd Properties, said market gardens changes would include new drainage and fencing, on-site relocation of temporary (non-heritage) structures, truck turning facilities and new heritage signage.
“It also includes a boundary realignment of generally uncultivated land,” a statement said.
The company said the land would predominately be used to create new salt marsh habitat, and the works had been agreed to by the government and market operators, and previously by Rockdale Council and the NSW Heritage Office.
